Long Beach’s overall crime rate in 2018 dropped 16.5 percent compared to the previous year, the city announced Friday, Jan. 11.

The city’s 2018 crime data, released Friday, show an uptick in murders and rapes, but a significant drop in robberies and aggravated assaults — which led to an overall 8.4 percent decrease in the violent crime rate. There were also fewer property crimes, including burglary and theft.

“I’m pleased in the overall drop in crime, including violent crime,” Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna said in a statement. “We are constantly looking at best practices and innovative techniques to reduce crimes like these, including the senseless murders.”

Overall, 30 people were murdered in Long Beach during the year — a sharp increase from the 22 who were killed in 2017, but not far from the current five-year average of 29. City officials noted that despite the one-year jump, the homicide rate is still near an all-time low.

Rapes, on the other hand, appear to be on the rise. There were 212 rapes in 2018, about 10 percent higher than the five-year average. Over the previous three years, the number of reported rapes were:

2017: 203;

2016: 197; and

2015: 179.

But both robberies and aggravated assaults dropped significantly. There were 979 robberies last year, about 10 percent lower than the five-year average. Property crimes, meanwhile, were about 11 percent below their five-year average.

Luna said he’s hopeful the overall downward trend will continue, with the community’s help.

“I am confident that the partnerships and relationships we have built with our community members, business leaders, and law enforcement partners will help us focus on reducing and preventing crime in our community in the future,” he said. “I remain very grateful for the amazing work that our employees and volunteers do every day to make a difference in our city.”

Mayor Robert Garcia said he believes recent investments the city has made in its police department are coming to fruition.

“Crime continues to drop in Long Beach, making our city one of the safest big cities in California,” he said. “Over the last few years, we’ve grown the Police Department, invested in new technology and cameras, and focused on making neighborhoods safer. I’m very proud of the LBPD and our community’s efforts.”

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Hayley Munguia covers Long Beach City Hall for the Southern California News Group. She previously worked as a data reporter for FiveThirtyEight and has written for The Week, the Jerusalem Post and the Austin American-Statesman, among other publications. She's originally from Austin, graduated from NYU and will pet a dog any chance she gets.